The Planning Commission on Thursday unveiled a Vision 2020 document envisaging 100 per cent literacy, no unemployment and poverty and quadrupling the per capita income of the country by 2020 saying, however, it was difficult to make accurate predictions.

"I am aware of the uncertainties of democracy. No one can make accurate predictions in the political sphere and state accurately where the country will be after 20 years. Even five years is a long time, but that should not inhibit us from thinking ahead," Deputy Chairman Planning Commission K C Pant said while unveiling the document in New Delhi.

The report prepared by a committee headed by Member Planning Commission S P Gupta envisions that in 2020, India's 1.35 billion people will be better fed, dressed and housed, healthier, more educated and longer living than any generation in the country's long history.

While the report highlights education and employment as the thrust areas, Pant said, "The report feels that major environmental issues will still remain a serious concern".

"Urban air pollution will probably be brought under control by strict enforcement of motor vehicle emission standards and widespread use of ethanol-blended motor fuels, but water shortages in major metropolitan areas will continue despite a national programme to popularise water harvesting in both rural and urban areas", he said.

Responding to a query on the importance of governance in attaining the targets visualised in 2020, Pant said governance and progress are interlinked, and this was clearly visible from the growth attained by states with good governance.

Referring to the efforts being made by the Planning Commission in assisting backward states, Pant said the commission has identified 100 districts of which pilot projects would be initiated in 25 districts.

While the Vision 2020 document forecasts a better quality of life, it also assumes that despite a quardrupling of per capital income by 2020, India would attain a level of development only at par with the upper-middle income countries
such as Argentina, Chile, Hungary, Malaysia, Mexico and South Africa.

Commenting on the document, member Planning Commission S P Gupta admitted that the vision had not taken into
consideration fiscal aspects of the country such as the fiscal deficit.

"The vision is a statement of aspirations and intention. It is not our capacity but our action that will determine the outcome".

While the level of public expenditure will rise four-fold in 2020, the report points out that communicable diseases such
as Malaria, TB and HIV infections will remain a cause of concern.

Similarly, with India accounting for 16 per cent of the world population, water shortage will be an area of concern with consumption of water expected to increase by 20-40 per cent over the next 20 years.

Suggesting innovative methods to increase the productivity and availibility of water, it however points out that the government's proposal to link major rivers to increase irrigated water and its distribution from flooded areas to drought areas could prove to be very costly besides technical and political problems.